Although examinations using magnetic resonance devices produce excellent image results, they are unpleasant, and sometimes intolerable, for a good many groups of patients. Mention can be made for claustrophobic patients, elderly patients and children. The main factor in this sensitivity and in the adverse reaction on the part of a patient to an unpleasant feeling, which depending on its nature can result in the scan in progress being aborted, is the small distance between the eyes and the lining, such as in the case of patients introduced into the tunnel head first during the relatively long time they must remain prone. The result is a feeling of a narrow enclosed space and of being shut in. Additionally, a good many patients are unable to lie still for a lengthy period or undertake certain activities for a lengthy period, for example calm, constant breathing, which is chiefly observed to be the case with small children, who frequently do not manage to keep still for a lengthy period without external incentives. Boredom is also a primary factor with children. Head examinations, which are very frequently performed, are especially awkward, as the head is then positioned in the isocenter of the magnet, and consequently is introduced deep into the tunnel as far as the middle, if necessary linked to a connected head coil. The feeling of “being shut in” is at its strongest as a result.
Various solutions are known for providing patients with audio-visual impressions and thereby distracting and occupying them for the duration of the measurement. Spectacles with built-in image sources are mostly used for this purpose, or permanently built-in tilted mirrors with an associated, external television set which can be watched via the tilted mirror. Headphones are also sometimes used. A drawback of the currently available solutions however is that they are relatively expensive or the image impression is very unsatisfactory. Tilted mirrors or spectacles restrict the field of vision in an unnatural way, are frequently uncomfortable to wear or reinforce the feeling of enclosure. An externally positioned television set to be watched by way of a tilted mirror must be specially designed to be MR-compatible in view of the magnetic fields prevailing in the vicinity of the device, which makes it very expensive. The same applies for the special spectacles.
A magnetic resonance device of the type described in the introduction is known for example from the book “Bildgebende Systeme für die medizinische Diagnostik” [Imaging Systems for Medical Diagnostics], 3rd edition, 1995, page 503, by Heinz Morneburg.
From U.S. Pat. No. 5,412,419 a magnetic resonance device is known in which a vertically suspended display is provided in the interior of the tunnel. The prone patient can see the display by way of a tilted mirror.
From DE 20 2005 021 902 U1 a magnetic resonance tomography system is known with a movable laser in the interior of the tunnel, said laser being used to mark an injection site on the patient to take a tissue sample, in other words to perform a biopsy.
From DE 299 05 420 U1 a bracket is further known for a heavy device to be fixed to a wall or ceiling, such as a television set, a monitor, a loudspeaker or a camera.
Finally, from US 2010/0238362 A1 it is known to place video spectacles on the patient while he is in a magnetic resonance device, in order to display information directly to him via the spectacles.